community
Year in Review
The Village Has a Voice
The Fight Against H8
Changing Face of Hillcrest
Preserving Our Livability
From Our Councilman
Save Hillcrest
Let the Sunshine In
Light My Fire
Change Needed at City Hall

43
45
46
47
49
51

characters
Elinor Meadows
The Beauty on Duty
San Diego’s First Mystic
The Great Jaguarina
San Diego Rainmakers

Reproduction of any material in
this issue is prohibited without
written permission from the
publisher. All contents copyright
2009. HillQuest does not warrant
or make representations as to
the quality, content, accuracy or
completeness of the information,
text, graphics, links and other
items contained in this issue.
Material in this publication has
been compiled from a variety of
sources and is subject to change
without notice. All photos are
property of HillQuest unless
otherwise noted.

ach HillQuest brings an annual reﬂection
on changes to our neighborhood. Last
November, two qualiﬁed contenders battled to
represent us at city hall. As a bonus, both were
gay. After a hard-fought election with more
than its share of nastiness, District 3 chose
Todd Gloria (see page 17) as our new council
representative. His struggle now is to maintain
services in our ﬁnancially strapped city.
It’s great that Hillcrest has an abundance
of individuals willing to make a difference —
whether it’s picking up litter, marching for
injustice (see page 12) or being a watchdog for
bureaucratic waste. Volunteers continue the
work to build an even better community.
After the battle over the 148-foot 301
University project, concerned activists formed
Save Hillcrest (see page 19) to preserve the
neighborhood character from inappropriate
development. The mission of this new nonproﬁt
is to educate the community on projects that
could adversely change the quality of our lives.
In early spring, the Hillcrest Town Council
(see page 11) elected its ﬁrst board. It’s hard
to imagine this neighborhood being around for
over a century without a residents’ group, but
we now have a voice, and the timing is perfect
since the city is in the process of updating
our community plan. We encourage everyone
to become involved in this new vision for our
neighborhood and to give input regarding the
next blueprint for Hillcrest.
We hope that you enjoy HQ7, and learn
something new about this special place so
many of us call home.

services

E

community

3

Which Hillcrest Town Council board member attended the Obama inauguration?

4

JULY 18 & 19
LGBT Pride’s “Stonewall 2.0 —
Activism for Equality” themed 35th
annual events are highlighted
by San Diego’s largest parade,
followed by a two-day festival in
Balboa Park.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16
Hillcrest Mardi Gras will celebrate
their 9th annual street fair along
University west of the Hillcrest
sign. Lots of beads for one and all.

SUNDAY, JUNE 6
Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon — This
annual footrace moves through
the neighborhood early (around
7am) with bands every mile. It’s
worth a view as several runners
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5
don unique costumes. Come cheer
Movie on the Roof — Enjoy an them on.
outdoor movie on the top of Whole
Foods Market’s parking structure.
This year’s feature is Ratatouille.
Free!
SUNDAY, AUGUST 9
CityFest — Celebrate the 25th
anniversary of the re-lighting
of the iconic Hillcrest sign. This

history
pioneers
characters
dining

SUNDAY, JULY 5
Hop in the ’Hood — Celebrate
the arrival of the seventh edition
of HillQuest with live music on
Seventh Avenue between Robinson
& Pennsylvania. The Flower Power
parade of non-motorized, greenery SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31
and ﬂower decorated ﬂoats begins Nightmare on Normal St. — San
at noon.
Diego’s best costumes will gather
on Halloween night along Normal
Street north of University Avenue.

fun

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13
Toast to Hillcrest — Stroll your way
from bistro to bar and raise a glass
to Hillcrest. Discounted tickets only
$19 thru July. Visit HillcrestHistory.
org for more details on this adultonly fun-raiser featuring wine,
spirits & nibbles.

neighbors

year’s event will culminate with a
party under the sign. Bring your
dancing shoes, sunhat and shades
for a fabulous Sunday in the heart
of the ‘hood.

shopping

JUNE 16 THRU AUGUST 27
Twilight in the Park — Enjoy
hour-long free concerts at Balboa
Park’s Spreckels Organ Pavilion
on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and
Thursdays at 6:15pm all summer.
Enjoy swing to Zydeco to harmony.
Perfect for a family picnic.

services

Visit the HillQuest.com calendar for daily events.

community

5

6

“Babbo has found the magic combination
as the current hot-spot with the weekend
brunch crowd. Good food wrapped in a crepe
with beautiful people packing the house.”
— Yelp
Open Daily 7:30am-10pm

Enjoy comfort cuisine for breakfast, lunch
or dinner in the friendly, family atmosphere
of Babbo Grande. Fido is welcome on the
“Bella Terrace” our pet-friendly back patio.

What parade is held at the Hop in the ’Hood?

Patriarch Carmen Lucci (“Big Daddy”)
welcomes you to come in for generous
portions of classic Italian dishes made with
his family recipes and an assortment of
French crepes...at an affordable price.
Babbo Grande serves the yummiest
frittatas, lasagna & cappuccinos in town.Ê

pÊ Buon appetito! —

Large dining rooms & exterior deck seating
,
-/ÊUÊ1

ÊUÊ

,

,
Ê*>À}ÊÊÌ iÊ,i>À

1731 University Avenue ~ (619) 269-8038

7

Sittin’ on a stoop
at the Hop in the ’Hood

Turn off your TV
Leave your house
Know your neighbors
Greet people
Look up when you’re walking
Fly your ﬂag with pride
Ask for help when you need it
Sit on your stoop
Plant ﬂowers
Use your library
Hire young people for odd jobs
Play together
Buy from local merchants
Share what you have
Help a lost dog
Take children to the park
Honor elders
Support neighborhood schools
Have potlucks
Fix it even if you didn’t break it
Help carry something heavy
Garden together

Pick up litter
Read stories aloud
Dance in the street
Talk to the mail carrier
Listen to the birds
Barter for your goods
Start a tradition
Ask a question
Organize a block party
Bake extra and share
Open your shades
Sing together
Share your skills
Take back the night
Turn up the music
Turn down the music
Listen before you react to anger
Mediate a conﬂict
Seek to understand
Learn from new and uncomfortable angles
Seek to hear the unheard
Get involved in life

An Interim Height Ordinance was Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan
passed limiting new development marches through Hillcrest before
to 65 feet in Hillcrest.
a rally marking the 6th anniversary
of the US invasion of Iraq.

The Uptown Community Plan update Closings: British Invasion, Hula’s,
kicks off at a meeting led by SD’s House of Heirlooms, Dolce Freddo,
Capri Yogurt, Radiant Health &
Planning Director, Bill Anderson.
Chiropractic, Vespa Store, Studio
Blue, Abi, Corvette Diner, Ranoosh
MARCH 10, 2009
Neighborhood residents elect the and Assembly.
Hillcrest Town Council’s ﬁrst board She will be missed: Aida Mancillas.
of directors.
Artist, optimist, activist and dear
friend to the community. Think of
Aida when crossing the Vermont
Hillcresters celebrate St. Patrick’s
Street pedestrian bridge.
Day throughout the neighborhood.

characters

OF NOTE

dining

After sitting dormant for over a
year, the Mi Arbolito tower at Sixth
& Upas comes to life.

fun

APRIL 16, 2009

neighbors

Benjamin Nicholls becomes the
fourth director for the Hillcrest
Business Association.

pioneers

JANUARY 5, 2009

Save Hillcrest receives its
nonproﬁt status from the federal
government…on the same day,
after years of neglect, the Robinson
Avenue bridge over 163 on gets a
paint job.

services

MARCH
M
ARCH 19, 2009

shopping

MARCH 17, 2009

10

Who is the boy depicted in the wall mural at Lalo’s?

Outgrown TurboTax?
Get a nasty-gram from IRS?
Looking to start a business?
Want to save the world?
Need bookkeeping service?
Want to do your own books?
Hiring help?
Documents to sign?

We do taxes! Business and Personal!
We can solve the problem!
We form corporations!
We form nonproﬁts!
Count on us!
We can teach you QuickBooks!
We do payroll better than anybody!
We even handle notary work!

Thanks to the Hillcrest Town Council, our neighborhood does have a
voice for the residents who participate. The Hillcrest Town Council meets
on the second Tuesday of each month from 6:30-8pm in the Joyce Beers
Community Center. Please join us.

characters
dining
fun
neighbors

The neighborhood group invited each of the District 3 City Council
contenders to their ﬁrst forum facilitated by the League of Women
Voters. A wide representation of politicians and government ofﬁcials
sought neighbor input — from Mayor Jerry Sanders to Assemblywoman
Lori Saldaña and US Congressmember Susan Davis.
Community preservationist Barry Hager talked to neighbors about
the importance of the Interim Height Ordinance (IHO), prompting
neighbors to voice their wishes to extend the proposed 65-foot
height limit from Brookes further south to Upas Street. The IHO was
approved by the City Council in July of 2008.
After the state allowed gay couples to wed (see page 12),
representatives from the County Clerk’s ofﬁce explained the procedure
so same-sex couples could apply for marriage licenses.
The Development Committee implemented a Development Watch
on the HillcrestTownCouncil.com website to alert residents about
building permits issued in our community. The committee also
assembled design principles, which will be used to update the current
Uptown Community Plan.
The Neighborhood Improvement Committee (NIC) organized
quarterly clean-up efforts and coordinated an “after Pride” cleanup that earned the HTC $900. In addition the committee presented
several LION (Let’s Improve Our Neighborhood) awards to recognize
outstanding enhancements to Hillcrest properties.

shopping

he Hillcrest Town Council (HTC) began a third year by electing its ﬁrst
board of directors. Eight candidates were nominated in February 2009
for elections the following month. The ﬁrst board of directors are chair
John Taylor; vice-chair Juli Peters-Hyde; secretary Nancy Moors; treasurer
Tim Gahagan and member-at-large Ann Garwood. Will having a board
change the HTC? Not really. The steering committee will continue to set the
agenda, and the board will implement the voice of the people. Elections
may have been the most exciting landmark for the HTC over the past year,
but so much more was accomplished, including:

services

T

pione
eers

hiissto
tory
ry

LION awards
presented by
Judy Nagel
to Carmen
Lucci & Nick
Hubbard.

12

A

s I got off the bus at Upas and Fifth, the driver said, “Looks like a big
day for you people.” I smiled and replied, “I hope it’s going to be a big

day for all of us people.” Camera in hand, I walked to the northwest corner
of Balboa Park. I was early. A few hundred people milled around, unfurling
banners on the ground, joking and drinking coffee. As the number of
people continued to grow, I told myself to keep expectations low and focus
on the reason we were gathering here on this sunny November morning.
Earlier in the year, on May 15, the California Supreme Court, in a 4–3
decision, ruled that marriage is a fundamental right for all citizens. In so
doing, they struck down, as unconstitutional, an existing statutory ban and
Proposition 22, a ballot initiative that prevented the state from recognizing
same-gender civil marriages. In the months following that decision, an
estimated 18,000 same-gender couples were married in California —
including many of our friends and neighbors here in San Diego.
At the same time, anti-LGBT organizations, including some churches,
began to pour money and resources into our state to support a new ballot
initiative — Proposition 8. Similar to Prop 22, Prop 8 was intended to
limit civil marriage to one man and one woman. The contest leading up
to November 4’s Election Day was the costliest and certainly among the
most hotly-contested and divisive ballot initiatives in California history.
While many shed tears of joy at the news of the election of our ﬁrst
African-American President, we also awoke to the sobering reality that a
slim majority had taken away marriage equality in our state. The Saturday

“The arc of history is long,
but it bends toward justice.”
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

About the Author: Mike Tidmus is a daily blogger at MikeTidmus.com
where you can read or view photos and posts about the ﬁght against
Prop 8 — and beyond.

pioneers
characters
dining
fun
neighbors
shopping
services

following the election saw 8,000–10,000 people take to the streets
of Hillcrest for a march to protest the passage of Prop 8. The turnout
exceeded all expectations.
It was clear all along that not all San Diegans opposed Prop 8. Hotel
magnate, Doug Manchester, and the Caster family who runs a self-storage
empire, donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to take away marriage
equality in California. Both became the subjects of successful boycotts by
Californians Against Hate. Local attorney Charles LiMandri signed on as
general counsel for the National Organization for Marriage, and Hillcrest
gadﬂy James Hartline and Pastor Jim Garwell of Skyline Church attempted
to position the ballot initiative as a battle of Biblical proportions.
Another call went out for a second march against Prop 8. The
event’s grassroots organizers took advantage of every new means of
communication. The call was Twittered, FaceBooked, MySpaced and
blogged, but there was no way of knowing what the response would be.
Then, on the morning of November 15, people began arriving in
Balboa Park. There were people who admitted they’d never marched for
anything before. Activists represented every community imaginable. They
came alone and in groups. The marchers brought their children, some in
strollers, and they brought their dogs. They carried handcrafted signs,
banners and ﬂags emblazoned with rainbow colors as well as stars and
stripes. Some brought their marriage certiﬁcates, and all shared their
passion and determination that the bigotry inherent in Prop 8 must not
be allowed to taint the Constitution of the State of California.
“You just have to make your voice heard, that’s all. This is a terrible
injustice. I’m 80, and I’m prepared to spend every Saturday for the rest
of my life marching,” said Marion Rothman, who had recently married
her partner.
In all, close to 25,000 people marched peacefully, though noisily, from
Balboa Park through downtown to the County Administration Building
where they listened to speakers and music. The turnout for the march
was double the combined counts of concurrent marches in San Francisco
and Los Angeles. In big cities and small towns across the country and in
some foreign countries, at exactly the same hour, hundreds of thousands
of people took to the streets for equality and fairness under the law and
against California’s Prop 8, which had taken away both.
Attorney Gloria Allred, who, on the day after the election, challenged
Prop 8 in court, told the San Diego crowd, “It ain’t over yet!” adding,
“We’re not going to be over it until we win equal rights under the law.”

n the ﬁnal year of her life, my grandmother was fond of saying, “I
wish my parents were still alive to see this. They would not believe the

changes in this place!” After enjoying neighborhood photos of the past

15
community

Changing Face of Hillcrest

About the Author: Tim
Gahagan has lived all
over Hillcrest and
currently enjoys
living on Herbert.

pioneers
characters
dining
fun
neighbors
i hb
shopping
h
i

Gone is the four-story Victorian hospital at Sixth & University and
the brick Florence School further to the west. Also long gone are the
trolley cars, which rattled down the middle of University Avenue past the
three-story Victorian school at Vermont Street (see below), ﬁrst built as
a SDHS gym annex, then moved here to accommodate the burgeoning
new bedroom community. It was replaced with a parking lot for Sears &
Roebuck, so popular at Christmas time that directions to available spaces
were made from the rooftop. But it’s also now gone, replaced with the
Uptown District, a mega-complex of stores and condos (see HQ6). Even
the Spirits Shop at Fifth & University (see page 26) is missing. Could this
all have happened in one short century?
Some charming old buildings remain, but their personalities have
changed. Saint Joseph’s surgical annex, moved to become a furniture
store at University & Eighth, is now a wholesale outlet store; the large
dance hall on University is Legends; and the former Craftsman Union
Hall is now the bustling LGBT Center. The original Vermont Street Bridge
is gone too, but a new one made of steel, art and inspirational poems
now enhances pedestrian journeys.
We can’t stop change, but we can direct it. There is still time for all of us
to make a difference by providing input for our next community plan or by
making individual marks on what Hillcrest will become. It makes me smile
knowing our neighborhood has been named as one of America’s best.
It’s the people, the trees, the buildings
and the walk-ability that make up this
community I call home.
Regarding the change, I’d tell
my grandmother that I don’t
believe it either.

services
i

been transformed.

history

100 years, I am also amazed at how our small community of Hillcrest has

16

T

he poor economy has slowed development and Hillcrest residents
have gotten a breather from the assault on our neighborhood. With

a community plan update ﬁnally in the works, residents must address an
infrastructure deﬁcit that includes inadequate park and recreation facilities,
poorly maintained roads, sidewalks, sewer pipes, insufﬁcient parking and

What was the name of Jaguarina’s horse?

police presence, litter, grafﬁti, trafﬁc jams and inadequate water.
Soon, we will have water rationing, but our city continues to issue
building permits. Why should existing taxpayers suffer a water shortage
so more people can move here? It is long past time for residents to ﬁght
back and insist that all development be supported by the man-made and
natural infrastructure that population growth requires.
As the community plan is updated, my motto as a member of Uptown
Planners (the local advisory group) will be “Infrastructure ﬁrst.” This
means not allowing a situation to develop in which city ofﬁcials and
political leaders make the empty promise that “the infrastructure will be
provided” and then break that promise as they have in the past.
The recently updated City General Plan is little more than an elaborate
promise of sufﬁcient infrastructure — an assurance that can only be
enforced by expensive California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) lawsuits
paid for by residents.
This “planning by lawsuit” is not only expensive and unpleasant; it
shows how little our city and state leaders really care about the welfare
of residents. I mention state leaders because they are implicated in the
“growth at all costs and infrastructure be damned” ethos that shapes
California planning and development.
Don’t be deceived by the rhetoric of “smart growth,” “green
development,” “sustainable development,” “mixed-use development,”
etc. These are Orwellian terms of deception meant to persuade you
that concern for the environment guides the planning, when the very
opposite is true. Unfortunately, the health of the environment and your
quality of life are the last things that the powers that be in this city and
state care about.
About the Author:
Andrew Towne is a board
member of the Uptown
Planners and a voice on
the Hillcrest Town Council.

I

n 2007 when the American Planning Association honored Hillcrest
as one of the Top 10 Great Neighborhoods in the nation, residents

community

17

It’s a wonderful place to live, work and play! Residents are diverse. Both
homeowners and renters, young and old, gay and straight, people of all
nationalities and colors contribute to the local ﬂavor. Residents are highly
engaged and are proponents of smart growth and preserving community
character. Whether replacing the Vermont Street footbridge or ﬁghting
inappropriate development, Hillcresters are active in local planning issues
and the ﬁght to maintain neighborhood integrity.
I have long felt a kinship with this community, through my past work as
chair of The Center and Congresswoman Susan Davis’ representative to the
area. I am pleased that as your councilmember, I am able to continue my
support and protection of Hillcrest’s heritage and populace.
About the Author: Todd Gloria was elected councilman of San Diego’s
District Three on November 4, 2008.

pioneers
characters
dining

Hillcresters have much to celebrate and festivities are held throughout
the year. San Diego LGBT Pride is an annual celebration that takes place
in July — with a parade and a two-day festival in Balboa Park. CityFest’s
annual street fair features live entertainment and much more. Other
events include the Toast to Hillcrest, Mardi Gras and a weekly farmers
market (see page 87).

fun

Hillcrest has a small-town feel
with all the urban conveniences. The
commercial district has an eclectic mix
of restaurants, stores, bars and clubs.
Hillcrest also is home to one of the
largest hospital complexes in the city.

neighbors

Located north of the Zoo and Balboa Park, Hillcrest offers a variety
of social and cultural activities. The neighborhood is ﬁlled with vintage
craftsman homes and newer, upscale
condominiums on tree-lined streets
that are pedestrian friendly. Its famous
neon sign is a connection to the
community’s past and a shining light
on its exciting future.

shopping

do business.

services

diverse, vibrant urban village — a unique and special place to live and

history

were pleased but not surprised. Hillcrest has long been recognized as a

18

How’s
YOUR
garden
grow?
ÊÊ->Ê
i}Ê
ÕÌÞ

"À}>VÊ-Ê
i`iÌÃÊ
EÊiÀÌâiÀÃ
What is the name of Jesse Shephard’s former SD home?

he spark behind Save Hillcrest began in June of 2005 when three
local community activists (John Taylor, George Wedemeyer and Rick

19
community

Invest $1 to Protect Our
Community Character?
Wilson) realized that the public was completely unfamiliar with how
development was built. The trio began to talk to business owners,
neighbors and patrons of coffee shops to keep them informed about the

history

Hillcrest would be transformed if the proposed 12-story 301 University

characters
dining
fun
neighbors

Save Hillcrest is an organization dedicated to educating neighbors on
land-use regulations and developments that affect the quality of life in
the Uptown area. For as little as $1 a year you can become a member
of the Save Hillcrest team. Join us at SaveHillcrest.com and become
a member today. You’ll receive periodic electronic updates on projects
planned for the neighborhood and notiﬁcations of recent changes to
state and local zoning laws. Visit SaveHillcrest.com to learn how your
involvement can make a difference.

shopping

The activists began collecting over 2,000 signatures on a petition
voicing the public’s outrage to the tower and the process that followed
with the City of San Diego’s Planning Commission. Eventually, Save
Hillcrest joined forces with
Friends of San Diego, Inc. and
raised funds so that a lawsuit
could be ﬁled against the 301
University developer and the
City of San Diego (see HQ6).
The group prevailed in the lawsuit, and the developer was required to
complete a full California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review of the
project. Community concerns regarding vertical development in Hillcrest
increased with proposed high-rises along Fifth Avenue. An Interim
Height Ordinance (IHO) was needed more than ever. Many thanks to
Mission Hills resident Barry Hager for making the IHO come to fruition.
Volunteers decided to incorporate Save Hillcrest as a nonproﬁt so the
community could be better educated about new developments planned
for our neighborhood.

services

beyond a 100-feet radius.

pioneers

land-use process in which the city is not required to share with those

Where are Hillcrest Town Council meetings held?

20

ULK[

S

an Diego enjoys abundant sunshine, but unfortunately the sun does
not always shine as brightly at City Hall. The concept of sunshine in

local government is clear and simple: The public’s business should be

community

21

Make city contracts more transparent. We proposed that all taxpayerfunded contracts over $25,000 be posted in an easily searchable way
on the city’s website; and that contractors with cumulative contracts
exceeding $25,000 also be listed, with links to each individual contract.
Fully disclose documents in a timely manner. Too often things are
missing from the docket materials presented to councilmembers, or
details are presented too late for proper review. We have proposed new
rules to ensure timely public disclosure of documents.
Require public records. As the city continues to use outside contractors
we need to ensure that the public has the ability to see how their tax
dollars are being spent. It is critical that any private entity contracting
with the city be held to the same standards as the government.
By enacting reforms such as these, the long-range forecast for San
Diego will become more clear and sunny.
About the Author: Councilwoman Donna Frye represents constituents in
San Diego’s District 6 — and beyond.

pion
pi
onee
on
eers
ee
rs
characters
dining
fun

Last summer Councilmember Carl
DeMaio and I created the bipartisan
“Council Governance Project,” which
generated proposals for additional
reforms for an open government. One
essential change already adopted by
the Council is to increase the number
of evening meetings, enabling more citizens to participate. But much more
is needed, including the following:

neighbors

In 2004 City Council colleagues joined me in implementing several
reforms. An important one required that citizens have the right to
comment on items heard in closed
session, and that these sessions are
to be transcribed. The purpose was
to emphasize that closed sessions
should be the exception, and not
the rule.

shopping

what elected ofﬁcials are doing and why.

services

citizens, the ultimate decision-makers in our democratic system, about

history

conducted in public. Open government is the only way to properly inform

22

O

n a beautiful day in July 2007, four San Diego ﬁreﬁghters from Station

5 in Hillcrest took a short ride in a big red ﬁre truck for the city’s

annual Pride Parade. A contingent of department brass marched ahead of
the truck, and a paramedic ambulance followed up behind.
A month later the ﬁreﬁghters and their attorney ﬁled a lawsuit against
the city claiming they had been sexually harassed. Despite an apology
from lesbian ﬁre chief, Tracy Jarman, and a change in department policy
on parade stafﬁng by volunteers only, the lawsuit proceeded.

When was the Hillcrest sign brought back to life and relit?

Their attorney claimed the four “brave, Christian ﬁreﬁghters” were
the targets of sexually suggestive taunts who endured catcalls when
crowd
after “witnessing barely-clothed men
they
th
eyy loo
llooked
ooke
kedd aw
away
ayy fro
ffrom
rom
m th
thee cr
crow
owdd af
performing simulated sex acts”
during their 90-minute ride. (Note
their journey was six feet off the
ground, encased in steel with the
windows rolled up, the engine
rumbling, the dispatch radio
crackling, music playing on their
headsets and no parade spectator
or participant within ten feet of the
ﬁre truck.)
That horrendous experience left the ﬁreﬁghters with headaches,
anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, other stress-related disorders and
the possibility of a multi-million dollar payoff. The ﬁreﬁghters’ attorney
seemed to be trying to put San Diego’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender community and the Pride Parade itself on trial. A notice on
the attorney’s website read, “Don’t let the radical gay agenda trample our
Christian beliefs and constitutional rights.”
The ﬁrst trial ended in October 2008 with the jury unable to reach a
verdict as to whether harassment had occurred.
In February 2009 hopes of a huge settlement for the men were dashed
when the second jury ruled in their favor, but awarded only $34,300 to
the foursome. The following month, SD’s City Council voted unanimously
to appeal the decision. Despite what was obviously an anomaly, the
citizens of Hillcrest to whom I’ve spoken still have the highest regard for
our ﬁreﬁghters and paramedics who make our community a safer place
in which to live.
About the Author: Local resident Mike Tidmus is the creator of “A Blog
From San Diego.” Visit MikeTidmus.com for his daily updates.

W

hen I ran for City Council I knew things were pretty bad. As a taxpayer
watchdog I’ve fought for years to shine a light on what’s going on

with taxpayer monies — and guard against special-interest inﬂuence on city

community

23

decisions. Across the socio-economic and political spectrum of our diverse

Open & Honest Government: Working in a bipartisan fashion, I have
teamed with Councilmember Donna Frye to propose sunshine rules for
city government (see page 21).
Jobs-Friendly Climate: This begins with local tax reform to support
our small businesses. In January I began to raise awareness of the city’s
practice of billing the self-employed for business taxes. I have proposed
a four-point tax and regulatory relief package to support and educate
these small businesses.
Cleaning up the mess at City Hall won’t be easy, but with a
commitment to work cooperatively in the public interest, we can create
a city government San Diegans can be proud of again.
About the Author: Carl DeMaio, the ﬁrst gay man elected to the SD City
Council, represents Council District 5.

pioneers
characters
dining
fun
neighbors

Rebuild Community Infrastructure: Unfortunately, the city has
allowed its core community infrastructure (streets, sidewalks, water
pipes and public safety facilities) to decay. Instead of diverting scarce
dollars to lavish projects such as a $743 million new City Hall, we must
make these infrastructure issues the top priority.
In addition, through improved oversight we need to improve how
infrastructure dollars like Development Impact Fees (DIF) are spent.
Without reform, San Diegans risk paying more and getting less.

shopping

Balance the Budget: After decades of
running a deﬁcit, the city must balance
its budget for real without accounting
gimmicks or raiding our reserves. This will
require that we live within our means.
Our new City Council must ﬁnish the job
of pension reform, implement voter-mandated efﬁciency reforms and
trim city salaries/beneﬁts to sustainable levels.

services

Reforming our city government is my
top priority, and I believe with political
will and cooperation from our leaders
this can happen. As such, I’ve committed
to four priorities for restoring SD’s ﬁscal
health and rebuilding public trust.

history

city, people are also expressing a strong desire for fundamental change.

When is the monthly meeting for Hillcrest residents?

24

Do you
have old
Hillcrest
photos &
memories
to share?

25

“Hillcrest has tremendous potential because of the location and the
stability of the residents. But it needs some hard work in planning and
designing, such as better circulation and sign control. I like Hillcrest
so much I live there.”
—John E. Hirten, author of San Diego, A Portrait of a Spectacular
City, its Treasures, Traditions and Promise, 1969
“Actions without vision just passes time; Vision without action is
merely a dream; Vision and action can change the world.”
—Joel Barker, futurist
Now is the time to visualize the next chapter of Hillcrest history. Our
neighborhood plans are currently over 20 years old and in many cases no
longer reﬂect the needs of the community. Hillcrest has an opportunity and
a challenge to make certain that community aspects, which we cherish most,
are preserved, including historical homes, buildings and other resources.
Help save Hillcrest history by ensuring that new projects or politicians do
not obliterate our community’s charm and character. Please participate in
the process by attending the Uptown Planners meetings on the ﬁrst Tuesday
of each month at 6pm in the Joyce Beers Community Center.

26

reflections
I

remember Hillcrest as my earliest home. When I was born at Mercy
Hospital in mid-1949, my parents and sister Carol lived in a one-

bedroom apartment in Ocean Beach. Six months later my family moved
to a two-bedroom duplex on Sixth Avenue in Hillcrest, because my father
owned a liquor store called The Spirits Shop, at Fifth & University just
west of Ray Drug store with the Hurricane Cafe on the other side.

Who was responsible for removing North Park parking meters?
What night offers Hillcrest bargains?

My father learned of the duplex because Morton Johnson was a good
customer. The Johnsons — Mort, Mildred and their teenage children
Bobby and Wilma — lived in the front house and had built the duplex
after the war. This home was my complete environment until I was old
enough to walk with my sister, by ourselves, to Florence School during
the week or to the commercial district on the weekends.
My ﬁrst best friend, Lyndell Altie, and I would walk or skate up and
down the blocks, until we got bikes and were able to ride farther through
the neighborhood. The sidewalk in front of the house on the south side
ended at an arbor over the canyon edge. It was a small, lath-enclosed
area, with a bench on one side, and a thick vine branch growing through
the lath along the other side. The branch was sturdy enough for us kids
to sit on and gently swing back and forth.
On weekends, our family did many things together — yard-work,
shopping, going to the library in Mission Hills or family picnics. To get
away, we’d go to Warner Hot Springs, or join my grandparents, aunts and
uncles for picnics after church in the park or in the country. Torrey Pines
was a favorite place to barbecue and play on the beach. On Saturdays we
occasionally
Park.
occasiionally had ppancake
ancake breakfast picnics at Pr
PPresidio
esidio Park
k.

community
history
pioneers

Even after I moved away and attended college in Northern California,
I always returned to Hillcrest. We sold the home that had been built
before WWII and later, in 2000 for health reasons, my parents moved
away. The ﬁrst house I lived in was long gone, sliced from its canyon
perch to make room for apartments. Whenever I’m in San Diego, I make
that trip to see how places from my past look now, and relive a few
wonderful memories of my Hillcrest childhood.

shopping

About the Author: History buff Janet Mulshine now lives in Oakland
and hopes that all of San Diego’s canyons don’t disappear.

services

As we got older, exploring
Mission Hills on foot or bikes
became easier. We liked to
visit the nursery at the end
of Brant, where you could
catch tiny frogs that lived among the larger potted shrubs and trees.
And we loved the softies at the Foster Freeze on the northwest corner
of Dove & Washington, and stopping by the ﬁve-and-dime on Goldﬁnch.
The Ace Drug Store was the place to look at new comics or have a coke
at the soda fountain.

characters

At the eastern end of Montecito was a huge canyon. Parts of it were
cultivated, including grape arbors and ﬁelds of ﬂowers and crops. There
was a large tree growing up a gentle slope, with a rope hanging from a
large branch. We all took turns, but when I swung out the rope slipped
between my hands, and I went ﬂying into the bushes. We walked back
to Mrs. Thompson’s, and
she called my mother. That
evening my left arm began to
ache terribly, and I ended up
with a cast.

dining

Weekends by this time included Saturday matinees at the Hillcrest
Theater. Everyone I knew went to the show each week. Then we could
usually spare some money from our allowances for candy at Hammond’s
or Sprouse-Reitz.

fun

We shopped at Carl Thudium’s market on University. Mr. Thudium was a
good friend of my father and went to our church. We also shopped at the
Piggly Wiggly on Sixth between University and Robinson. Frequently, we
went downtown on Friday evenings after dinner and my parents shopped
for items like clothes and home accessories. Marston’s and Walker Scott
were the main department stores back then.

Home Is Where
You House Your
Dreams, Your
Friends & Family,
Yesterday, and
Tomorrow...
Neighborhood is an important part of that
choice. Metro San Diego brings it all.
GINNY OLLIS
Broker Associate, CRS, SRES, GRI

Specializing in the heart of San Diego,
Special Properties, Seniors & To-Be’s,
and Busy People for 31+ years.
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
1621 W. Lewis Street, San Diego, 92103
619-574-5138 | www.GinnyOllis.com

elegant style of the seven-story landmark. If you haven’t been before, stop

community

29

by this red brick apartment hotel built in 1926, which spans the block

pioneers
characters
dining
fun
neighbors
shopping
services

Master architect Frank Allen ﬁrst came to San Diego in 1911 as a director
for the upcoming Panama-California Exposition, which was to begin four
years later in what is now Balboa Park. He designed the iconic Cabrillo
Bridge as well as many of the exposition buildings and gardens.
A decade later, Allen gathered a group of investors (including child
actor Jackie Coogan’s family) and designed the hotel’s 82 suites in ﬁve
different types each containing a living room, dining area, sleeping/
dressing areas and bathroom.
Hailed as one of San Diego’s
most elegant apartment hotel
residences, the architect and
his wife promptly moved in
immediately after completion.
Today 75 of the original suites
are offered to guests.
The posh penthouse, ﬁrst
designed as a solarium and
lounge still features fabulous
panoramic views. This ﬂoor,
now the Top of the Park
Restaurant & Bar, is deﬁnitely
worth a visit to enjoy the
sweeping views of San Diego
Bay, downtown, uptown and
the verdant Balboa Park. The Top of the Park has received numerous awards
as a premier wedding or event space. Each Friday evening it’s packed with
a gay happy hour. Another restaurant on the ground ﬂoor, Inn at the Park,
is known for its continental ﬂair, delicious prime rib dinners and nightly
cabaret performances at the piano bar.
The building was in disrepair in 1978 when
Dr. Stanley Willis II envisioned a return to its
former glory. This Renaissance man with an
impressive array of accomplishments — noted
psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, law professor,
thespian, yacht racer, ranch owner and world
traveler — Stanley Willis endeavored to make
Park Manor Suites the beacon of arts, civility
and tolerance that it is known for today. Though
Dr. Willis passed away in 2004, this unique
historic landmark lives on, run by the trust that bears his name.

he Greater San Diego Business Association (GSDBA) celebrates its 30th
Anniversary in 2009, 30 years of building community through business.

community

31

supportive chamber of commerce. It is a nonproﬁt organization dedicated
to promoting economic growth for member businesses and advocating
mainstream acceptance of diversity within our society and in the business

history

GSDBA is San Diego’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and community-

Strategic alliances, successful collaborations and community
involvement have made GSDBA one of the largest specialty chambers
in the county. GSDBA is the second largest gay, lesbian and supportive
chamber in the nation. Eight hundred members strong it remains true
to its roots of supporting community businesses and offering programs,
networking opportunities, social activities, professional development and
advocacy related to business.
In 2004 GSDBA became a founding member of the National Gay and
Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, taking an active role in national level
advocacy efforts and programs to meet the needs of small businesses.
The national partnership offers members access to national procurement
contracts.
At the 30-year mark GSDBA remains true to its mission to promote
business development in order to increase economic opportunities for its
members, the LGBT community and all who support business equality.

Proud Member of

characters
dining
fun

GSDBA’s signature publication, the business resource Directory ﬁrst
published in 1979, has grown from 16 pages to 320 pages. Each year
30,000 copies are printed and distributed throughout the county.

neighbors

From 1979 to 1993 GSDBA was run solely by the board of directors. In
1994 the board hired the ﬁrst executive director, Meredith Vezina, and the
GSDBA ofﬁce moved into its Fifth Avenue location where it remains to this
day. The year 1994 also marked the birth of the ﬁrst Business Networking
Group (BNG), thanks to the leadership of founding member Marci Bair.
Today there are seven thriving BNGs, each with 12 to 35 members who
meet every week, providing a team of colleagues ready and able to make
business connections.

illiam Wesley Whitson moved to San Diego in 1886 as an
industrious 21-year-old who worked as an undertaker and reporter

before serving as a city councilman. In 1906 his sister-in-law, Laura

community

33

George Hill estate, a 40-acre hilly tract just north of downtown could be
purchased for only $115,000. An adjacent parcel recently sold for half a

history

Anderson, a secretary in a law ﬁrm, shared a juicy business tip that the

million dollars — this was indeed a bargain! The estate was bounded by

neighbors
shopping
o
services
c

The neighborhood consisted of S.F. Holcomb’s general store (see page
81), one church, a chapel, a handful of homes and St. Joseph’s Hospital.
WWW put in streets and curbs, subdivided the property and began selling
lots from a small building on Fifth just north of University. With rooftop
signage broadcasting his “Hillcrest Tract Ofﬁce” to hundreds of trolley
riders each day, the area formerly referred to as University Heights
quickly took on a new name — Hillcrest. The community boundaries have
since expanded to include some 700 acres of commercial and residential
property north and west of Balboa Park.
Whitson also set up a mill to supply “the ﬁrst cheap lumber in San
Diego” for hundreds of homes. Far too many of these ﬁne Craftsman
homes have been demolished for the construction of ofﬁce and medical
complexes. In the late 1980s, Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO)
supported the Historical Site Board’s (HSB) request to consider the
beneﬁts of an historic district overlay to preserve the character of this
older neighborhood.
On January 27, 1988, the proposed demolition of an unusually ﬁne
Craftsman house at 3969 Third Avenue was heard by the HSB. SOHO
research indicated with sufﬁcient certainty that it was an original Hillcrest
Company-built home. Maria Burke Lia, an attorney representing the
owner/developer, argued against historic designation for the property.
Unfortunately, the HSB sided with the attorney, and another thread in the
fabric of our community’s character was lost forever.

fun

dini
n ng
g

ch
ha
ara
ract
c ers

Sixth Avenue on the east and Lewis Street on the north.

p on
pi
one
neers

University Avenue on the south; Second (now First) Avenue on the west;

What is the name of the mural along Tenth Avenue south of University?

34

35

Edwin Capps (1860–1938)

A

native of Tennessee and raised in Illinois, Edwin Capps came to San
Diego in 1886 and began careers as both a real estate agent and a

mining engineer. He became a civil engineer in 1893 and designed the new
police station in 1911. He served twice as San Diego mayor (1899–1901
and 1915–1917). In his second term Mayor Capps and the city council
hired Charles Hatﬁeld (see page 51) to deal with the ongoing drought.
Between his stints as mayor, Capps designed the wonderful Spruce Street
suspension bridge in 1912. The footpath ﬂoats among treetops, gracefully
suspended from two steel cables anchored to concrete piers at either end.
The lightness of the bridge allows it to sway and dance in response to the
wind and your footsteps. Don’t miss it. Kudos, Capps!

36

New Plumbing
Remodeling
Repair
Emergency Service

ÜÊÞÕÀÊ
*ÕLiÀ¶

>ÞÊÝ

What canyon lies 50 feet below the Quince Street Bridge?

ViÃiÊx{£ä{Ó
iLiÀÊV>Ê1ÊÓÎä

{Ó£{x{È

­È£®Ê

history
pioneers
characterss
dining
fun
neighbors
shopping

ob Grinchuk and Reuel Olin were married at the San Diego County
Administration Building on June 17, 2008, the ﬁrst day it was possible
to do so. One reason for their impatience might be that they had been a
loving couple “living in sin” (as they dryly put it) for 35 years. Another
is that they take seriously their responsibility as role models and leaders
in the gay (and wider) community. Those many years ago, Bob and Reuel
met at a faculty tea at a New Jersey college (they both have Ph.Ds).
Subsequently Bob moved into college administration and Reuel managed
employment and training programs as an executive for ITT Corporation.
After moving to San Diego
25 years ago, they embarked
on an entrepreneurial journey,
which began with the purchase
and renovation of a fourplex
in South Park. This led to the
formation of Bobolink Property
Management. They purchased
and managed several apartment
communities
i i mainly
i l iin Uptown, among them the historical Casa Grande
Apartments on University Avenue, which they recently sold after 16 years.
They took advantage of their management expertise in running education
programs for the San Diego County Apartment Association, on whose
board Bob would later serve and become its president — being awarded
the association’s prestigious Award of Excellence for his service. Bob and
Reuel also developed management certiﬁcation courses for apartment
associations around the country. Along the way, they acquired The Villa
Resort in Palm Springs and created The Wine Lover, a wine bar in Hillcrest,
now celebrating its tenth anniversary.
After becoming founding members of the San Diego Men’s Chorus
(for which they funded a KPBS documentary), they decided half-jokingly
to divvy up their community activities, with Bob taking the “straight”
organizations and Reuel the “gay” ones. Consequently, Bob still serves
on each of the boards he has chaired, the Hillcrest Business Association,
Uptown Planners and the Uptown Partnership. Among many other
boards and commissions, such as chair of Mercy Gardens — housing for
people with AIDS — and Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO), he
was also vice president of the San Diego Housing Commission’s Board
of Commissioners.
Meanwhile, Reuel was executive producing director of Diversionary
Theatre in its early years, and served on the Mayor’s Task Force on Voter
Rights, the Citizens Review Board on Police Practices and the San Diego
Human Relations Commission. Additionally, he was president of the
Greater San Diego Business Association and chair of the LGBT Community
Center, spearheading its move to Centre Street. Bob and Reuel have been
strong supporters of The Center. Among other philanthropic activities,
they funded the Olin-Grinchuk Senior Space and the West Wing of The
Center’s Youth Housing Project downtown.
Both are recipients of the Third Council District’s Community Spirit Award.

services

B

community

37

38

Cameron
GRAPHICS

www.sanﬁlippos.com
Food to Go • Patio Dining

We are now open on
SUNDAYS
4:00-9:00 pm

619 . 269 . 06 00
CamGraph@ att.net

End your weekend right
with a delicious pizza or one
of our tasty Italian entrees!
“HOME OF THE CASSEROLE”
3515 5th Avenue • (619) 299-6080

Advertising | Brochures
Packaging | Newspaper
Catalogs | Distribution

/ÞÊâ>À
,i>ÌÀÁ

/ÀiÌÊ-Ì°ÊÕÃ
,i>ÌÀÁ

(619) 299-3228

What was hung from the re-built Quince Street Bridge?

ÜÜÜ°ÌÞ>â>À°V

VISIONARY

O

n April 15, 1867, San Francisco merchant Alonzo Erastus Horton
sailed into San Diego Bay, and while awaiting a ride to the town

community

San Diego’s

39

beyond the sagebrush. Just as William Heath Davis (17 years earlier),
Horton believed that for San Diego to prosper it needed to be located on
the harbor, and his land purchase set a new city in motion. A ﬁrst bid of

history

center (now Old Town) he strolled up a knoll and envisioned a city

But the bubble eventually burst, and a
ly, reducing
depression hit San Diego badly,
the population from 40,000 to 16,000.
eeds to a
Horton was left holding deeds
h overdue
great deal of property with
oke. In his
taxes. Suddenly, he was broke.
ﬁnal years, Father Horton who had
created his city of dreamss became
San Diego’s unofﬁcial greeter,
welcoming passengers as they
arrived by steamer ships.
This statue of our
founding father stands
across from downtown
Horton Plaza. The city
map, once held in
his hands, has been
missing for years.

characterss
dining
fun

Horton thought Fifth Avenue should become San Diego’s main artery
and had an extensive wharf built as its foot to assist the arrival of
prospective land buyers. As the new burg began to eclipse Old Town in
importance, property values exploded. The boom extended throughout
st arrived on the new railroad connecting
the 1880s. Those from the East
ountry.
the city with the rest of the country.

neighbors

The clever entrepreneur bartered or sold his acreage for needed
services and lumber — and gave away land to people who pledged to
build homes immediately. Horton also donated property for the city
courthouse and several churches plus enough whitewash to paint two
sides of each building that faced the bay. The enthusiastic salesman was
an honest, somewhat eccentric promoter whose marketing strategy was
simple: If the buyer were not satisﬁed at the end of one year, he’d buy
back the property.

sh
ho
opp
p ing

a month, Horton had bought 800 acres for just $265 (33¢ per acre).

sse
erv
rvic
ice
ess

too much. Then he lowered his offers and continued to buy. In less than

pioneers

$100 for 200 acres was met with laughter: The novice had paid ﬁve times

Who is the San Diego blogger with a focus on Hillcrest?

40

I

n 1886, as an 18-year-old, G. Aubrey Davidson moved to San Diego
with his parents and soon became a bookkeeper in the Atchison,

Topeka, & Santa Fe Railway ofﬁce. He

community
m

41

two years later. In 1907 he gave
up the railroad career and returned

history

moved to their Los Angeles agency

to San Diego, where he became
Trust & Savings Bank and its successor,
the Southern Trust & Commerce Bank of

pioneers

founder and president of the Southern

“These buildings of this Exposition have not been thrown
up with the careless unconcern that characterizes a transient
pleasure resort. They are a part of the surroundings, with the
aspect of permanence and far-seeing design. They might endure
for a century and still appear the things of beauty which they
are. Time will hallow them with its gentle touch.”
As the 2015 Exposition Centennial approaches, we celebrate the
foresight of those who gave us San Diego’s Panama-California Exposition
and the heart of Balboa Park.
About the Author: Michael Kelly is president of The Committee of
One Hundred, which recently honored Davidson with its ﬁrst Bertram
Grosvenor Goodhue Award in appreciation of his vision for Balboa Park.

dining
fun
n ighbors
ne

On January 1, 1915, an opening day crowd of 15,000 people visited
the Expo in Balboa Park as Exposition president G. Aubrey Davidson gave
the ofﬁcial opening address at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. This is a
prescient excerpt from that speech:

shopp
pin
ing
g

San Francisco also wanted to celebrate the opening of the Panama
Canal and won the right to host the ofﬁcially recognized Panama-Paciﬁc
International Exposition in 1915. Preparations here went ahead without
formal recognition, and the Panama-California Exposition of 1915–1916
would change the face of Balboa Park and the future of San Diego.

servicess

Davidson served as president of the
city’s Chamber of Commerce in 1909,
when he proposed the idea of hosting
a World’s Fair to call attention to San
Diego and to bolster an economy still shaky from the Wall Street panic of
1907. The Panama Canal was scheduled for completion in 1915, and we
would be the ﬁrst American port on the Paciﬁc Coast north of this new
shorter connection to the East Coast.

characterss

San Diego.

Who was the ďŹ rst gay man elected to the SD City Council?

42

43

The wacky cast
at the Crest Cafe

S

an Diego (and espcially Hillcrest) has more than its share of characters.
Skepical? Take a stroll around the neighborhood! A few other San Diego
characters include:
1769’s founding friar Junipero Serra was a 5'2", 110-pound priest who
bared his chest then beat himself with rocks and sticks to demonstrate the
evils awaiting sinners in hell.
Our ﬁrst mayor Joshua Bean (brother of famed Judge Roy Bean) sold
the city hall to himself, stopped attending council meetings over a pay
disagreement, then oversaw the execution of a popular Indian leader. No
wonder his 1852 murder remains unsolved.
The former gunslinger Wyatt Earp owned the Oyster Bar and gambling
hall at 837 Fifth Avenue in the Stingaree. Upstairs was the Golden Poppy
brothel where each room was decorated in a different color and each
painted lady wore an outﬁt to match the décor. It is rumored that Earp
owned the building at the corner of Fifth & University (now Mille Feuille)
and that he pitched horseshoes in the alley behind Fifth Avenue Books.

44

Rhythm And the method
Original rock-blues
-indie band
Available
for booking!

How many days in 2008 could California gay couples legally marry?

myspace.com/rhythmandthemethod

S

an Diego native Elinor Soule Meadows (1914-2002) is remembered as
an activist, artist, teacher and neighborhood character. She attended

college with a scholarship to the San Diego Academy of Fine Arts in 1931.

community

45

That followed with a bachelor’s degree from SD State College in 1936
master’s. Most of her career was spent teaching art at local high schools,
Mesa College and San Diego State. After retiring in 1979, this Bankers Hill

history

before attending Columbia University in 1941, where she earned her

With the help of San Diego City Councilman Bob Filner and TV Channel
10 newsman Ed Lenderman, a reopening was celebrated on August 21,
1990. Elinor showed her appreciation by hanging a large smiley face from
the newly rebuilt footbridge.

characters
dining
fun
neighbors
shopping

After hanging large
paper tears from the span
to express her sadness,
Inspired by a 1987 SD Union photo.
the 74-year-old activist
gathered over 1,000 neighborhood signatures to help save it, holding a
“bridge in” with Rush to gather support for the structure. Elinor posted
a hand-painted poem at the closed entrance: “I am an old bridge. I was
the pioneer structure across a lovely canyon. I have carried my share of
walkers. I have provided a place to view the bay. A quiet place to pause, to
stop and think. I have seen many changes. The bay is busy, the air is heavy,
the streets are crowded. My people need me more than ever. But where are
they? No one crosses me now. It’s enough to make an old bridge weep.”

services

Elinor was the driving force behind saving the 1906 Quince Street
pedestrian bridge from permanent closure by the city. For decades, Elinor
and husband Rush had lived on Maple Canyon just north of the bridge in a
1921 Craftsman apartment
house where they shared
their lives with eight
cats, four dogs and an
assortment of tenants. In
July of 1987 termites and
dry rot forced the city to
close the old bridge “for
structural evaluation until
further notice.” Afraid that
it would be torn down,
Elinor took the lead to
save the wooden walkway
built 50 feet above this
beautiful urban canyon.

pioneers

resident continued to be a positive inﬂuence in her community.

46

The Beauty

ON DUTY

S

an Diego arrival Judy Forman is a local legend and colorful character
who has served fabulous breakfasts and lunches at her unique eatery,

the Big Kitchen, for nearly 30 years. This self-appointed mayor of Golden
Hill isn’t afraid to share opinions on just about anything. Issues close
to her heart include civil rights, giving opportunities to those in need,
preserving the neighborhood where she’s lived since her 1979 San Diego
arrival — and winning euchre games.

When was the Georgia Street Bridge built?

Years back she attended
a City Council meeting on
medicinal marijuana with
a friend battling breast
cancer. Judy went along to
be supportive, but before
she knew it was standing at
the podium advocating the
herb’s beneﬁts on ill and
dying friends. Her efforts
also thwarted the 1986
Miss California Pageant. “I
hate it when women are
exploited,” she explained,
adding, “Life is so much
bigger than breasts.”
“Judy the Beauty” also helped organize the Golden Hill Community
Development Corporation, a nonproﬁt that worked to obtain grants for
neighborhood improvements including an after-school program. Other
efforts resulted in a new Brooklyn Elementary School playground and
a leash-free dog park, one of her proudest achievements. Judy’s focus
is to create “a nurturing, multi-ethnic community of different economic
levels.” In 2005 she was recognized as Woman of the Year from the 76th
Assembly District as an “outstanding member of the community, business
owner, friend and for her unparalleled dedication to the community.”
Her restaurant, nominated as “One of the best places for breakfast
in America” by Bon Appetit magazine, was also featured by cooking
guru Rachael Ray. The Big Kitchen’s walls are plastered with photos,
ﬂyers and posters from happy customers and many celebrity fans. These
days, the popular icon is still on duty between her travels to Upstate
New York, enjoying quality time with her parents, and the Paciﬁc shore.
Always drawn to the ocean, Judy recently discovered a special place
near the Ocean Beach Pier to enjoy her downtime with the rhythm of
the waves. Très bien!

With the help of Lawrence Tonner, his longtime companion/secretary,
the fancy man held séances in the music parlor of the ornate Victorian
Queen Anne and entertained the upper crust, including Mrs. Alonzo
Horton (see page 39). Jesse was the toast of San Diego, but soon
became restless. He again traveled to Europe, giving concerts for artists
and royalty before settling in London where he wrote eight successful
books under the pen name Francis Grierson before returning to the US
at the outbreak of WWI.
His death in Los Angeles came at the conclusion of a beneﬁt recital,
on May 29, 1927, when at the end of the closing number Jesse sat
silently with his ﬁngers resting on the keyboard. At the age of 79 he had
completed his ﬁnal performance.
Today’s fate of the Villa Montezuma (at 20th & K) remains in question.
The operator, the SD Historical Society, has been unable to keep the
house open to the public, and the owner, the City of San Diego is looking
for someone to manage and help restore this cultural gem.

history
h
pio
ione
ne
eer
es
characters
dini
di
n ng
ng

His nomadic lifestyle dependedd
on generous offers of patrons, andd
eventually he was enticed to our sunny
ny
shores by the High brothers — a pairr of
local developers who hoped Jesse would
put down roots and sprinkle spiritualist
list
stardust. They promised a mansion
built to his speciﬁcations. The result
was the 1887 Villa Montezuma,
named after the ocean liner that
brought Jesse to America.

fu
fun
un

An English boy of immigrant parents, Jesse grew up in Illinois during
the Civil War years. In 1863 his musical talents were discovered, and
the young man traveled alone to play piano and sing on the East Coast.
Shortly, he was performing in the salons
lons of rich and famous Parisians
where his recitals charmed audiences.
s. With
t
his enormous hands and abnormally long
ong
ﬁngers, Jesse could play two octavess
with each hand, and became a master
of improvisation who credited his
musical performances to interaction
with the spirits of famous composerss
channeling through him.

neighbors

to our sleepy little town during its ﬁrst economic boom in the 1880s.

shopping

seer, musician, vocalist and author who added an interesting chapter

services
c

T

he ﬂamboyant Jesse Shepard (1848–1927) was a world-famous mystic,

community
y

47

48

Business cards
to hoodies
(and everything in between)

Custom paper &
apparel printing

619.283.5155

Experience
>_bbYh[ijĂ&#x160;i7hj_iWd
8Wa[ho9W\Â&#x192;

,1-/
at

!#C\WdS`aWbg/dS\cS
ÂžPSbeSS\BVW`R4]c`bVÂž

$&!'!

$'

How many holes are on the Morley Field Disk Golf Course?

PARK MANOR SUITES

Looking for the right place for family and friends to stay
while they visit San Diego, or considering your own
Getaway in Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Finest City?
Check-in to the historic Park Manor Suites, located just
steps away from Balboa Park, within walking distance to
the world famous San Diego Zoo and just 1/4 mile from
the center of Hillcrest.
Visit us online to make a Hotel Reservation, to see our
delicious Lunch & Dinner Menus and Weekly Hotel Specials.

XXX1BSL.BOPS4VJUFTDPNr
4QSVDF4USFFU
4BO%JFHP
$"

JAGUARINA

E

lla Hattan was an 1859 Ohio product of an English father and a

community

The Great

49

Spanish mother who became a legendary swordswoman most known

pioneers
characters
dining
fun
neighbors
shopping

Astutely managed by Fred
Engelhardt, Jaguarina quickly
bbecame the toast of San Francisco
iin the 1880s, as she won bouts with
aany weapon against all comers, ﬁrst
oon foot then on horseback. After
rrunning out of challengers, they
bbegan a vaudeville tour through
CCalifornia. At the end of 1887, the
aathlete and her manager retired to
sseparate ranches in Ensenada, but
tthe following October a San Diego
ccontest was promoted featuring a
German master-at-arms, Captain
G
CConrad Wiedemann.
A crowd of 7,000 packed the
Paciﬁc Beach Race Track to watch
tthe man vs. woman ﬁght. Both
oopponents wore masks, helmets
aand breastplates. The match was
sscheduled for eleven “attacks” or
rrounds. When Jaguarina entered
the track riding her favorite black steed, Muchacho, the betting was heavy
with the German as the popular favorite.
The opponents fought through several attacks, and at the end of 11
rounds the score was Wiedemann over Jaguarina 5–4, but because no
points were awarded in the fourth or ﬁfth rounds, the judges extended
competition for two additional bouts or until a total of 11 points were
scored. As the trumpets blared and the attack began, the clash of blades
left Jaguarina with a shattered sword. Quickly replaced, she stormed her
opponent, found an opening and scored a point. It was 5–5.
The tie brought the crowd’s roar to a fevered pitch. Jaguarina began
the ﬁnal round again charging at the Bavarian, swinging her weapon
and forcing his sword arm away from his body, allowing her to lunge
forward with her blade and strike his breastplate for the winning blow.
The spectators instantly erupted into cheers, as hats were ﬂung into the
air. Wiedemann fans protested, but the referee awarded Jaguarina the
pivotal point. San Diego had a new hero, one who had clearly dented the
armor of male superiority.

services

thespian was described as beautiful, large and powerful.

history

for an 1888 battle in our dusty little town. The stylishly stout sometime

50

a tasty treat
since 1984
Located in the heart of Hillcrest, City Deli is celebrating their 25th year
of serving the community. The bright and colorful building with its
checkerboard trim and distinctive fruit decoration make this restaurant a
neighborhood landmark. The popular restaurant has been a meeting place
for business people, friends and families since 1984.
City Deliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s menu offers page after page of yummy selections with breakfast
served all day. Enjoy a martini, margarita or mojito at the full service bar
or dine al fresco in the comfortable sidewalk dining area.
Their homemade desserts are the best! Check out the pastry case full of

What is the cost to join in the fun at the Redwood Bridge Club?

cakes, cookies and pies just inside the front door. City Deliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s baker will
create the perfect taste treat for your wedding, bachelorette party, bar
mitzvah or birthday.
Come by, say hello and enjoy the hospitality of owners, Alan and Michael.
When you dine at City Deli youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be dining with friends!

C

“

alifornia’s
liff i ’ ddrought
ht conditions
diti thi
this year h
have causedd some scientists
i tii t
to hurry up sea water conversion and sewage recycling experiments

in an effort to ﬁnd a way to come up with the scarce liquid called water.”

comm
co
mmun
u itity
y

51

over 22 years ago. Even more unbelievable is the fact that the US Navy
built a desalination plant on Point Loma in 1960. We were told the water

hist
hi
stor
ory
y

Sounds like today’s news, but actually that was printed in the SD Union

Hatﬁeld explained to the press that the damage wasn’t his fault (the
city should have taken adequate precautions), and the brothers wanted
their money for ﬁlling the reservoir. However, the council reneged saying
that it rained too much. Charley sued the city in a case that lasted until
1938, when a court declared the 1916 ﬂood was an act of God. “Hat”
always felt cheated because the brothers never got a cent for their work in
creating the promised rain.

characters
dining
fun
neighbors

Within a couple weeks a steady rain began, growing heavier day-byday. On January 27 the Lower Otay Dam burst, washing livestock, homes
and people out to sea. As damage continued to climb, it seemed the rains
would never end. All but two of the city’s 112 bridges were swept away,
and the SD River through Mission Valley ﬂooded from cliff to cliff, cutting
off all highways to the north.

shopping

Charley called himself a
“
“moisture
accelerator” —
never a rainmaker. After the
City
C Council agreed to pay him
$10,000
if he could help our
$
drought-plagued
Charley
his brother Paul (on the right)
d
h l
d county, Ch
l andd hi
immediately began their work. The dynamic duo created a secret chemical
concoction, which they burned in evaporating tanks atop three 20-foot
“rain-enhancing” towers on the shoreline of the empty reservoir.

serviices

di
Several HQ editions
back
a
after
2004’s extraordinarily
high rainfall, we joked that
S
San
Diego historians might
t
think
that Charles Hatﬁeld was
b
back
in town. In December of
1915, after four dry years
a the ﬁrst expo underway,
and
c fathers made a deal with
city
C
Charley
to ﬁll the Morena
Reservoir.

pioneer
es

was delicious, but four years later the plant was moved to Cuba.

52

ÊÊ,i>ÝÊÊÊÊ
Ê1`iÀÊ
ÕÀÌ

«iÊ`>ÞÊ
vÀÊÕV ÊEÊ`iÀ

ÕiÊ ÕÀÊÜiViÃÊÞÕÊÌÊÃ>ÛÀÊÌ iÊ
iÝÌVÊyÊ>ÛÀÃÊ>`ÊÌÀ>`ÌÃÊvÊ ÃÊ i>`°Ê
“One of the great dining experiences in San Diego.”

What was the former use the LGBT Center building?

— Barry B.

“The wait is never too long, and the restaurant
is beautiful — soft lighting, luxurious textures,
rich colors.
Fabulous
service all
around and the
owner/chef is
such a super
nice, down to
earth guy that
always greets
his guests
either at the
door or tableside and never forgets a face.”
— Trisha R.

“Great atmosphere and service with awesome food.
Their tagines are amazing and the appetizers are
incredibly tasty.”
— Roy K.

3940 Fourth Avenue •

(619)

295-5560

pÊParking Validated next doorÊp

ÕÃÕÃ,iÃÌ>ÕÀ>Ì°V

53

Pasta plates at Babbo Grande

T

he National Restaurant Association predicts Americans will spend $566
billion dining out this year. Why not stretch your dollars (see page 55)
in Hillcrest. From casual cafes to San Diego’s ﬁnest restaurants, special
offers and discounts provide great incentives to let someone else do the
cooking (and the dishes).
Hillcrest has a long-established reputation for wonderful dining
experiences where your taste buds may travel the world from Afghanistan to
Thailand and Morocco to Mexico. Hillcresters take their eating seriously —
so much so that annual events are held. Crowds attend both the HBA’s Taste
of Hillcrest (formerly the Taste of Uptown) in the spring and the Toast to
Hillcrest in August. This fun-raiser for the Hillcrest History Guild combines
wine, spirits and nibbles with a double-decker bus tour (for adults only).
Visit HillcrestHistory.org before the end of July to buy $19 tickets.
But don’t wait for annual events. Every Tuesday evening, restaurants
throughout Hillcrest offer specials such as a half-price bottle of wine or
a free dessert with the purchase of your meal. Take a stroll through the
neighborhood after Tues Nite Out dining to discover discounts from other
local merchants, too!

Who is CD3’s ﬁrst openly gay councilman?

54

njoy dining out? We do, too, but it can become quite pricey unless
you’re resourceful. Wisely planning how, when and where you eat
(and drink) will stretch your dollars.

Enjoy happy hours — Baja Betty’s pours $3 margaritas; Martinis Above
Fourth offers two bucks off their namesake; The Wine Lover serves glasses
of vino for $4; Wit’s End features $1 off your pick from their wall of
beer; Bite has a champagne happy hour; and Number One Fifth Avenue
promotes discounted specials until 7pm.
Clip & $ave — Check out HillQuest.com’s coupon page that offers
discounts for neighborhood businesses. Print only the deals you want,
save money and trees!

dining
fu
un
neighbors

Share it or take it home — If you don’t have a large appetite, split an
entree and an appetizer with a friend. Or better yet…follow Sir Lloyd’s
lead and bring an empty plastic container along for your leftovers. Save
restaurants the cost of your to-go containers.

shopping

What day of the week — Dine out during the week rather than on
weekends. Restaurants throughout Hillcrest offer specials on Tuesday
nights. Lalo’s features fabulous ﬁsh tacos; Crest Cafe cuts the price of
bottled wine in half; St. Tropez offers all-you-can eat crepes; Kous Kous
offers a free appetizer with entrees; and Urban Mo’s serves tasty mini-Mo
burgers. Every day is a winner with Suzanne at The Philly Grill.

services

What to order — Always remember to ask about “daily specials.” These
deals, featuring fresh or seasonal items, may not be on the menus but
are often a good bargain. If you’re a senior or have kids, inquire about
special menus or discounts providing smaller portions for a smaller price.
Jimmy Carter’s Mexican Cafe has a specials board, all muy bueno.

characters

pioneers

When to eat — Breakfast usually gives you the most bang for your buck.
If that’s not possible, try lunch or brunch, which tend to be cheaper than
dinner. The new David’s Coffee at Cafe Eleven is a great place to start your
day; Amarin Thai has $4.99 lunch specials; and early bird dinners at City
Deli are popular favorites.

ddie “Lalo” Opana was born in San Luis Obispo and grew up in the
Imperial Valley. The 1969 Holtville High School graduate moved to

community

57

San Diego in pursuit of a food service management degree. While at Mesa
hand. While managing Culpeppers (on the lower level of the Park Manor
Hotel) Eddie was offered a bartending job for the-soon-to-be-opened

history

College, he worked for Mulvaney’s Steak House, learning the business ﬁrst

characters
dining
fu
un
neig
ne
ghbors
sho
hop
pp
piin
ng

Eddie became an entrepreneur in 1989 with the opening of Lalo’s —
Hillcrest’s answer to tasty, healthy fast-food Mexican cuisine. (You’ll ﬁnd
no lard here.) The ﬁrst Lalo’s location remains at 1266 University Avenue
in the Hillcrest Colonnade. Eddie added Lalo’s Fish Tacos, Etc. in Point
Loma a few years later, but in 1998 the neighborhood’s transformation
prompted him to sell. At the same time, Hillcrest restaurateur and
former owner of Cafe Eleven, Ed Moore (see HQ6) sold Livingston’s
Chicken Kitchen in Ocean Beach to Eddie. Just a block from the ocean,
Livingston’s continues to serve the best chicken in town.
Eddie’s chores begin at dawn when he checks the Hillcrest restaurant’s
cleanliness and prep work before assembling the fresh salsa bar. By 7am
he’s on his way to Ocean Beach where he repeats his daily tasks. In 2004–05
Lalo’s space doubled, adding beautifully designed walls and hand-painted
menus by artist Rik Ericson, who also created the mural depicting Eddie’s
son Gabriel and his dog Blue Boy on a Cabo San Lucas beach.
Longtime employees have added to their consistently good menu.
Eddie’s wife Linda also pitches in to help the family business by working
the counter for the midday lunch crowd. Try one of Eddie’s favorite soups
overﬂowing with fresh veggies or one of their popular menu items like
fresh, boneless, skinless chicken breast burritos and great fried or grilled
ﬁsh tacos. Stop by for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Lalo’s Mexican Grill is
open from 7am until 1am, Sunday–Thursday, with extended hours until
3am on Friday & Saturday.

serrvvic
se
ices
es

Caliente Race Track in Tijuana as their food & beverage manager.

pioneers

Harbor House in downtown’s Seaport Village. His ﬁnal employer was the

58

OPEN
Wed-Sat 11am8pm
VOTED
BEST

Original Philadelphia Style Sandwich
WARNING: HABIT FORMING

Who is the rector of Hillcrestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest church?

2041 University Avenue â&#x20AC;˘ (619) 688-9437

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Amarin refers to a deity in Thai
culture â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the king of all angels.
Their approach to food quality &
service extends through dessert.â&#x20AC;?
pĂ&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;>Â&#x2DC;Â&#x17D;Ă&#x160;->L>Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;]Ă&#x160;E/Â&#x2C6;Â&#x201C;iĂ&#x192;

About the Author: Moumen Nouri is passionate about
sharing the cuisine of his Moroccan homeland at Kous
Kous (below Fourth Avenue).

sse
erv
rvic
ice
ess

Hospitality is the pride of Moroccan culture; so I pursued a career closer
to my heart. After obtaining a three-year chef degree in my hometown,
I completed a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management in Tangier.
Throughout these college years I dreamed of a restaurant with the look
and feel of what is now Kous Kous. Priorities and realities of life that many
immigrants face postponed my dream for many years, but in 1996 I made
my way to the central coast of California, working in some of Carmel’s
ﬁnest restaurants.
A few years later I seized an opportunity to move to a more vibrant
(and much sunnier) San Diego. I searched for a special location to nest my
restaurant vision in an open-minded community. Hillcrest was the perfect
neighborhood to embrace my concept fully. After a long, painful process,
Kous Kous became a reality in 2005. It took another year before I was able
to design and create the dream exactly as I had envisioned it back in my
homeland — featuring great Moroccan cuisine, personable and efﬁcient
service in a soft, warm environment that’s sexy with a hip vibe.
Kous Kous is tucked away in a setting below street level at 3940
Fourth Avenue. I welcome you to stop by and experience the ﬂavors of
my childhood. Despite its hidden location and a difﬁcult economy, my
restaurant is thriving thanks to so many of you who have grown to love
our exotic dishes. Please allow us to enrich your palate as you discover
how rich, diverse and pleasing Moroccan cuisine can be.

ake nine wickets, add wooden balls and mallets, then mix with great
friends, and you have a wonderful recipe for fun. Actually there are
several ways to enjoy our big backyard of Balboa Park on the cheap — or
for absolutely nothing at all.
Enjoy a nature trail (see page 63 or the park fold-out map on page 66).
The San Diego Lawn Bowling club offers free lessons to county
residents. What a deal! Call (619) 238-5457 for details.
Volleyball games are held on the lawns along Sixth at Olive: join in
the fun. This is also a great people-watching spot on the weekends.
At 3111 Sixth Avenue the Redwood Bridge Club offers free lessons
Tuesdays at 6pm followed by playing. Every Monday–Saturday afternoon
duplicate bridge begins at 12:15pm for $2 per session or $35 per year.
$5 games are held Thursdays at 6:30pm.
Balboa Park rangers lead free one-hour walking tours every Tuesday and
Sunday at 1pm. Meet at the Visitor Center in the House of Hospitality.
Every Tuesday a variety of museums offer free admission. Check the
HillQuest.com calendar for the rotating schedule. Timken Art Museum
and the nearby Botanical Building are always free.
On the east side of the park, Morley Field’s (see page 79) Disc Golf
Course is open from sunrise to sunset. Greens fees are $3 weekends or
holidays, but only $2.50 on weekdays.

ewcomers and visitors to San Diego quickly ﬁnd out just how much
Balboa Park has to offer — now add trails to that list. Local activists

community

63

About the Author: Jerry
Schad’s Afoot and Aﬁeld
San Diego County is the
deﬁnitive guidebook for
local and regional hiking.

pioneers
p
characters
dining
g
fun
neighb
bors
shopping

The ﬁrst improvements were highlighted in October of 2008 when
Mayor Jerry Sanders inaugurated the “Balboa Park Trails” system at the
northwest corner of the park. That’s exactly where you’ll ﬁnd the Sixth
& Upas Gateway. Five numbered trails (ranging from 1.5 to 6.5 miles)
radiate out from that intersection. Each trail is suitable for walking,
running and sometimes skating or biking. The routes offer everything
from smooth sidewalks to rough paths darting up and down the park’s
steep canyonsides. All are conﬁgured as loops, and their designated
direction takes maximum advantage of the scenery.
A satellite-image-based map was merged with a series of GPSdocumented routes and signiﬁcant advancements in park signage that are
designed to highlight topography and park landmarks. These improvements
help guide the user and gauge the level of difﬁculty of the trails. The
routes are marked with color-coded numbered signs (blue for the Sixth
& Upas Gateway) to show distance, degree of difﬁculty and change of
route direction. A committed group of community volunteers envisioned
and developed this system in partnership and with guidance from the
Department of Park & Recreation and the Balboa Park Committee.
Across Florida Canyon a second gateway serving four more trails was
unveiled in the spring of 2009 at the Morley Field sports complex. More
trails emanating in Golden Hill, the Park Administration parking lot
and Marston Point are planned. The longer trails tend to lead into the
more hidden areas, such as the “Marston Hills Addition” section of the
park, a branching canyon bottom that touches several of Hillcrest’s
residential streets.
Maps of the trails (and
more) can be obtained
as PDF downloads when
visiting BalboaPark.org/
maps/maps.php or see
the fold-out maps in this
book.

services
e

of pathways within the park.

history

have spearheaded an effort to identify, map, mark and reconstruct miles

egin your visit to Balboa Park at the Visitors Center located in the
House of Hospitality. Maps, schedules, museum hours and other info
are available. The staff is friendly and helpful.
Admissions: There is no entry fee to the park itself, but admission to
the museums and attractions vary. Visitors may buy a Passport to Balboa
Park and visit all museums for one price.
Free Tuesdays: Every week rotating museums offer free admission on
Tuesdays. Visit the HillQuest.com calendar for info.
Parking: Small lots throughout the park ďŹ ll up early. Two centrally
located lots are behind Spreckels Organ Pavilion and near the Starlight
Bowl. Even larger lots offer more asphalt along Park Boulevard.
Tram service: There is a free tram in the park (note red-dotted path)
that stops at Upas Street and Sixth Avenue. The tram operates seven days
a week; 8:30am-6:00pm with extended hours during summer months. The
drivers even act as quasi tour guides. Enjoy!
Questions? Call the Visitors Center at (619) 239-0512.

s a San Diegan who grew up in Hillcrest (but never lived there), I’m
now a happy North Park resident who enjoys my two-mile roundtrip

jog/walks to the Hillcrest sign. University Avenue’s colorful corridor is
lined with interesting shops and a cast of characters. Some faces change,

community

69

I push on, knowing the
beautifully restored Birch North
Park Theater awaits my arrival as I
approach the active intersection of
30th & University with its diverse
array of hipsters, homeless, street preachers, musicians and more. North
Park (see page 73) has become a totally hip, arts and culture district.
Sometimes I take a detour down Ray Street past the art galleries that
make this lane so unique. Heading south I pass an amazing assortment
of well-kept homes in an area designated an ofﬁcial “Historic Craftsman
Neighborhood.” At 29th & Upas, Bird Park offers spectacular views of
downtown and the Coronado Bridge. The sidewalks here are imprinted
with the names of each species found in the neighborhood, and if seen
from above, the walkways are also shaped like a bird.
This is my home…birds of a feather? Perhaps. But it’s in these
neighborhoods where you’ll also ﬁnd my heart.
About the Author: Ben Cartwright will again be the host onboard the
double-decker bus for this year’s Toast to Hillcrest on Thursday, August 13.

pio
ione
neer
ers
char
ch
ara
acctte
ers
rs
diin
niin
ng
neighb
bors

At Florida the street markers
change into shapes of the North
Park sign. Passing The Philly Grill
I wave to Suzanne and smile at
the rainbow ﬂags atop Pecs on my
way toward the Texas Street hill.
University Avenue dips again before
reaching my favorite landmark —
John Lennon’s “Eyes” looking west
toward Hillcrest above Tobacco
Rhoda’s. In a doorway below stands
a life-size mural of a young woman
leaning against the wall. Her
realism startles me virtually every
time I jog by.

shopping

on my way home, offering a panorama of 92104.

services

77) connects the two neighborhoods, and it’s a wonderful downhill break

history

but several become familiar oddities. The Georgia Street Bridge (see page

What North Park area has been nominated for historic designation?

70

TENOR

I

was thrilled to hear that wonderful, clear voice reverberating from
the canyons. It was vibrant, perfect. I was pruning a succulent on the

71
community

The Mysterious

leaving New York City. I was quite prone to musical outbursts, and released
my creamy-smooth Streisand in all its glory into the echoing hills, only to

history

little patio of my new Hillcrest apartment, wondering how I would survive

ﬁnd myself engaged in an impromptu duet with a faceless, musically gifted

As the last of my boxes were unpacked, I grabbed a feather boa
purportedly worn by Liza Minnelli and tap danced my way onto the
patio for a little “Don’t Rain On My Parade.” When the faceless voice
followed with a startlingly accurate version of Ethel Merman’s “There’s
No Business Like Show Business,” a rock wrapped with a note was hurled
onto my patio. Thinking it at last to be a message from the mysterious
tenor, I hurriedly opened it. It read: “Shut the Hell Up!”
That was the last night we shared our musical talents. (Though we
may have unknowingly sung a duet during a drunken karaoke party at
the Caliph.) I still live in Hillcrest, nestled in the green chaparral covered
hills. And sometimes, in the deep of night when it seems just a bit too
quiet, I wonder what the mysterious tenor is singing — and if he, too,
was almost hit by a ﬂying projectile on that ﬁnal fateful night under a
clear San Diego sky.
About the Author: Local scribe Michelle Nack’s memories were ﬁrst
shared online in the SD Reader blog.

characters
dining
fun
neighb
bors

I dropped hints to the neighbors, hoping my singing partner would
be revealed, as each night my musically amorous partner joined me in a
steady stream of fabulous Broadway show tunes. These hills were alive
(quite literally) with the sound of music. We were good, very good. I
was no amateur, and my tenor played me like a ﬁddle, lilting harmonies
dancing around my high Cs like fairy dust about Peter Pan. If the
mysterious tenor could make it here — perhaps I could also survive in
what I feared was a cultural wasteland.

shopping

The unusual conﬁguration of little canyons, with cottages and condos
strewn about, prevented me from distinguishing, based
on acoustics, exactly from where the voice came. But
I continued the song, desperate for musical theatre.
“With one person...” he chimed in with a highly emotive
“…one very special person.” Like pure silk! I was home!
Hillcrest had welcomed me with a serenade!

services

was having a hallucination brought on by theatre withdrawal.

pioneers

stranger — a tenor of the highest caliber. As we continued, I wondered if I

Who is the executive director of the Uptown Partnership?

72

73

I

n 1893 San Diego merchant Joseph Nash sold 40 acres of land northeast
of Balboa Park to James Monroe Hartley (no relation to the former
councilman). The Hartley family planted a lemon grove, but discovered
that irrigating the new trees was problematic. Water was hauled in barrels
from a small reservoir on El Cajon Avenue.
Hartley named the area (bordered by University Avenue to the north
and Dwight Street to the south, Ray Street to the west and 32nd Street to
the east) after himself, calling it “Hartley’s North Park.” The name stuck,
appearing on all city maps by 1900.
James Hartley died in 1904, and the eldest son, John (“Jack”)
established Stevens & Hartley, North Park’s ﬁrst real-estate business,
with his brother-in-law William Stevens. In 1907, with the opening of the
Georgia Street Bridge (see page 77), development quickly moved east.
In 1910 the Hartley family began developing their land into homes and
commercial buildings.
Today most folks identify the neon North Park sign, located just west
of Hartley’s “busy corner” at 30th & University, as the heart of the North
Park community.

74

Accounting, tax and system consulting service

TAX PROBLEM SOLUTIONS
What was Kate Sessionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; address in 1900?

In 2007 the North Park Historical Society nominated the Dryden area for
designation as a historical district. The group submitted an application to
the City of San Diego Historical Resources Board detailing the history and
signiﬁcance of this neighborhood. City staff members began reviewing
the application in 2008. Potential beneﬁts to residents of a designated
historical district include:

shopping

• Protection against a change in zoning or increase in allowable density
• Potential Mills Act beneﬁts of property tax reductions
• Preservation of the neighborhood’s unique historic character
• Enhancement of home values

services

The homes along Pershing Avenue and 28th Street are among the
earliest houses of North Park, built primarily between 1913 and 1926
during one of San Diego’s greatest local building booms. Fine examples
of Dryden’s work include the exuberant oriental-style Craftsman residence
at the corner of 28th & Capps Streets (above), and the stately redwood
board and shingle home at the corner of Myrtle and 28th streets. Many
other homes in this area built by other designer/builders such as
Alexander Schreiber, the Melhorn Construction Company, Ralph Hurlburt
and Charles Tifal, all of whom are recognized by San Diego as Master
Builders, contribute to the historical signiﬁcance of the neighborhood.

fun

orth Park is known for the charming and varied architecture of its
residences. Many homes reﬂect the Arts and Crafts Movement ideals
of honesty and close connection between a structure and the earth. The
homes along Pershing Avenue and 28th Street, from Upas to Landis
streets encompass 22 bungalows and gracious two-story houses built by
David O. Dryden, a master of the Craftsman style. Another 15 homes in
this neighborhood were constructed by Edward F. Bryans, who not only
built in the Craftsman and Spanish Revival styles, but also built many
of the Neoclassical and Spanish Revival style apartment buildings along
Park Boulevard.

neighbors

N

characters

pio
ion
ne
ee
errs

hist
hi
stor
ory

comm
co
mmu
un
nitity
y

75

Visit NorthParkHistory.org for an update on the progress of this
important historical district.

76

H

ere’s the guy to thank for the removal of parking meters in North
Park. It all started in 1959 when merchants in City Heights wanted

to attract shoppers who had been wooed to the new College Grove
Center, which had free parking. Business owners campaigned for the
removal of parking meters along University Avenue between Euclid and
54th Street. At the same time, the East San Diego Chamber of Commerce
ﬁled suit in Superior Court in opposition to the meters, and the Uptown
Merchants Association led by Allen Hitch, petitioned to force an election
to end the city’s meter program.

What is Hillcrest’s newest 501c3 nonproﬁt organization?

nessman owned
The North Park businessman
a carpet store and was the
ormed
president of the newly formed
merchants group. When the
re
city announced that more
parking meters wouldd
shortly line the streets
of his business district,
Hitch took a stand and
became an overnight
activist who ran for city
council with the promisee
rs.
to remove the meters.
The bow-tied Hitch argued,
ued,
“After 25 years parking meters
have become passé, a hindrance
ndrance to
business and are now rendered
useless.””
ndered useless
His opponent, three-term Councilman George Kerrigan supported
merchants’ wishes to straighten out the curves on University Avenue
between Euclid and 54th Street, but agreed with his council peers that
the parking meter issue should not be on the ballot — after all, the City
of San Diego generated $877,454 a year in revenues from the devices —
money it needed to balance the budget.
No one paid much attention to Allen Hitch at ﬁrst, but his message was
well-received by constituents, and with the slogan “Switch to Hitch,” he
was elected for three terms from 1961–1973. He made an unsuccessful run
for mayor in 1963, after campaigning for the removal of the International
Cottages in Balboa Park. Chances are he might have been elected mayor
had he only continued his crusade against metered parking.
50 years later, North Park still has no meters. Perhaps Hillcrest needs
an Allen Hitch, too.

commu
unity
history
pioneers
characters
dining
fun

he Georgia Street Bridge is a symbol of development and a designated
local, state and national historic landmark. In the early 1900s,
urbanization was stymied by the formidable ridge of Georgia Street, which
rose from the ﬂatlands east of Hillcrest and fell suddenly into the ravine
of Florida Canyon. The rapidly expanding electric streetcar (trolley) lines
could not pass through this barrier. But early in 1907, the high ridge of
Georgia Street was cut and bridged at University Avenue with a redwood
truss bridge. This allowed a single line of the streetcar to be extended
eastward from Hillcrest to Fairmont Avenue, which opened North Park to
suburban development.
On August 11, 1907, the San Diego Union announced, “University
Avenue Electric [railway] is now under construction. The beautifully
located territory at the intersection of that Avenue and 30th Street is sure
to be the most valuable of that section. NOW is the time to purchase.” The
streetcar was essential for expanding residential development because
at that time, an automobile was a rich person’s commodity, costing as
much as a house.
By 1913, the single track car line along University Avenue had become
inadequate for the growing ridership and double tracking was needed,
which meant a wider opening under Georgia Street. The following year
architect James Cromly whose masterwork in reinforced concrete still
stands today replaced the wooden bridge. The columns and spandrel
arches reﬂect the Mission Revival style, with a grand arch spanning 66
feet. The vertical cut is buttressed with concrete walls that were paneled
to echo the pattern of the bridge arches. The bridge reﬂects the City
Beautiful movement in civic design of monumental character.
Even though it’s been taken for granted, targeted by grafﬁti vandals
and periodically targeted by Caltrans and the city for demolition, the
Georgia Street Bridge survives. It is the icon that embodies the entrance
to North Park — a welcoming gateway that is unique, historical and
masterful in both design and construction.

neighbors

T

sho
h pp
ppin
ing
g

GATEWAY

77

sse
errvvicces
es

University Avenue

78

Trusts,
Estates &
Probate
The Law Ofﬁces of

ALEJANDRA
RODRIGUEZ
2550 5th Avenue, Ste. 1030

619.238.5270
rodriguezlawofﬁces.com

www.sdpride.org

Who with Lynn Susholtz and Gwen Gomez created the art on the Vermont Street Bridge?

orth Park’s Morley Field Sports Complex — located at the corner of
Texas & Upas streets in the northeast section of Balboa Park — offers

comm
mun
nitity

History of Morley Field

79

an optimistic message from the past. The city’s determination to ease local
this popular, multi-faceted recreation facility. Since the late 1800s this
area of the park had remained a rough-covered chaparral while other

history

unemployment during the 1930s Depression resulted in construction of

Currently the area includes 25
tennis courts, Bud Kearns Memorial
Pool, a dog park, the municipal golf
course, a senior center, a tiny tots
play area, group picnic areas, an
archery range, a multipurpose ball
ﬁeld, a velodrome, bocce courts, a
ﬁtness course, pétanque courts and a
disc golf course. In January 2008 the
beloved shoe tree on hole #2, which
was around for decades, came down
in a windstorm. But, a new “tree” is
growing to take its place.

characters
dining
fun
neighbors

The recreation center is named after John Morley, who served as a Balboa
Park superintendent from 1911 to 1939. His guidance and inspiration for
the park’s cultivation created many of the beautiful gardens remaining in
the park today. View the North Park Historical Society’s virtual archives at
NorthParkHistory.org to enjoy more
articles about the history of Morley
Field, the Velodrome, national high
school cross-country races and the
Balboa Tennis Club.

shopping

Plans for a summer opening in 1932 needed to be postponed
after completion of the large pool was persistently delayed. Finally, a
spectacular public dedication was held in 1933 on a warm, sunny New
Year’s Day perfect for the ceremony. Thousands attended the festivities,
which included a parade, drill teams of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and
a beauty pageant.

services

But in 1931, the municipal golf course on the eastern park boundary
was built as a special project for unemployment relief. At a special election
in March of 1932, San Diego voters approved a $300,000 bond issue to
employ local workers. On March 29 a project committee of North Park
businessmen, including George Klicka and Paul Hartley, revealed plans for
a center that featured a swimming pool, heating plant, clubhouse, two
baseball diamonds, eight double tennis courts, ten shufﬂeboard courts, a
children’s wading pool and sand pits.

pioneers

sections developed.

Who was president of the Chamber of Commerce in 1908?

80

81

Amy Capano
owner of Cathedral

Hillcrest’s First Store
Hillcrest had no sidewalks or paved streets in 1906 when S.F. Holcomb
opened his department store at 1071 University Avenue (west of Vermont).
A story in the local newspaper some 20 years later reported the “store
has grown and expanded to its present 100-foot frontage on University,
and inside it is a veritable ark with treasures of the earth on display on
a hundred tables. All merchandise is out on the counters and the prices
are plainly marked.” Local customers spent hours browsing the interesting
goodies that ﬁlled the counters.
The founder’s son took over the business in 1925, and Frost had many
new marketing ideas including redoing the window displays “oftener than
the phone company changes numbers on its customers” reported the paper.
Holcomb also gets credit for adding University Avenue’s ﬁrst sidewalks.
The department store closed when owners retired to their remaining store
in Chula Vista. During its ﬁnal year, customers said it smelled like an old
country store — which makes sense because it was and did.
(Mayer Reprographics has sat in this spot since 1982.)

82

(619) 291-0933
3840 fifth ave
3
san diego ca 92103

Who is the new executive director of the Hillcrest Business Association?

twirling hours 11-7 daily

83

A

n en•tre•pre•neur is someone who creates and ﬁnances a new
commercial enterprise in hopes of making a proﬁt. That is not easy

these days. Most everyone has taken a hit to the wallet and needs to spend
money more wisely. Keep in mind, when you suffer, our local businesses
do too. HillQuest would like to encourage readers to continue to shop in
Hillcrest. Pennies from each purchase made at local area merchants help
our community maintain its diverse character, which in turn draws more
shoppers to enjoy its uniqueness. Seems like a win-win, huh?
Keep in mind, there are no bailouts for these little stores. Unable to
run at a shortfall, those without enough revenue, just disappear. This
is heartbreaking to owners and a loss to the neighborhood where each
business is a thread in our community fabric. Please do what you can to
fortify your favorite stores — whether it’s with dollars or merely a smile
and wave of support. Let them know you care. Hillcrest has an assortment
of services and merchants who offer everything from shoe repair to ornate
fountains. Entrepreneurs have an enormous investment of pride in their
businesses, along with their time and money. Running a small business is
a labor of love open to public trafﬁc.
Strolling up Fifth Avenue in the heart of Hillcrest, you’ll discover a
wonderful sampling of businesses that bring consumers from throughout
the city into our neighborhood. Browse through the aisles of Bluestocking
or Fifth Avenue Books, two of SD’s last independently owned bookstores.
Flip through the racks at a variety of clothing stores including Buffalo
Exchange, Flashbacks, Wear It Again Sam and Twirl.
University Avenue is also lined with great shops selling gay literature,
hardware, gifts, furniture, clothes, hair supplies, cards and candles.
Behind these independently owned shops and the assortment of services,
restaurants and neighborhood bars are entrepreneurs struggling to make
a living. Please support them — dollars spent locally just make sense.

Who is the Hillcrest banjo-playing beauty who strummed her way to television in 1966?

It’s the Freecycle Network, an international e-mail group dedicated to
keeping usable items out of our landﬁlls. Started six years ago in Tucson,
Freecycle now has over six million members worldwide. San Diego has
over 20,000 participants.

pioneers

W

here can you give away items you no longer need and ﬁnd items

history

community

85

TIPS:
If you are giving something away, describe the item, its size and
condition. Is it broken? That’s okay. Someone might be able to repair it or
use it for parts. If you are requesting something from a donor, say a few
words about why you want the item, and when you can pick it up. “Thank
you” and “please” go a long way. Some people will give their donations
to the ﬁrst person to reply; others prefer to look at several posts and
then choose the “right” person. If you are offered an item, be prompt in
picking it up. Freecycle can be a fun and efﬁcient way of reducing landﬁll
waste and keeping useable items in our community. Enjoy!
About the Author: Rebecca Smith is a happy SDFreecycler who lives in
University Heights.

dining
fun

To give an item away, place an “offered” post to the list. Interested
people will reply to you by email. Choose whom you want to give your
item to and where they can pick it up (“on the porch” or “next to the
gate” are popular spots). Once you have given your item away, you will
need to post a “taken” message.

neighbors

There is no selling, trading, borrowing or bartering on Freecycle. There
is also no discussion — just posts offering or requesting items.

shopping

You may post messages with items you want to give away or request
items you need. Posts will indicate that an item is “offered,” “wanted,”
“taken” or “received,” a description of the item and the neighborhood
where it is located.

servicess

All you need is Internet access and email. Go to Yahoo.com, click on
“groups” then type San Diego Freecycle in the search box and join.

characters

How does it work?

Êp

86

VÊÛiÕi

Argentinean
Gourmet
Empanadas

Bread
& Cie

Saranya
& the
Black Thai

6
,9
-1
9

HBA
info
booth

Pita &
Hummus

>Ó«

Divine Madman
Coffee

7th Day Buskers

Seb’s
Pannis

R&L
Farms
Urban
Plantations

❾

Suncoast
Farms
Lone Oak
Ranch
Citrus

Hidalgo
Flowers
Sage
Mountain
Farms

Pasta
Olives
Cheese

Kawanos
Farms

À>Ê-ÌÀiiÌ

Eggs &
Honey

❿

Smit
Orchards

Business Association

Maldonado
Growers

­È£®ÊÓÎÎÎä

+ÕiÃÌ°VÉi`>ÉÛiÃÉ>ÀiÀÃ>ÀiÌ+°Û

W

ant some mouth-watering strawberries or sweet red cherries? From
9am to 2pm every Sunday, rain or shine except for Christmas and

north of University and south of Lincoln. Consistently voted the best of San

fun
neighbors
shopping

The outdoor market has nearly 150 vendor booths with everything
from cappuccinos and fresh ﬂowers to bee pollen, eggs and honey.
Farm picked produce is displayed on tables for your shopping pleasure.
Tasty food booths with scrumptious items like crepes, gyros, panninis,
empanadas and Thai food ﬁll the west side of the market. It also includes
many exciting products and services from artisan crafts to massage,
and plants to olives, pasta, cheese and hummus. Need an extra copy of
HillQuest’s Urban Guide? Stop by the HBA info booth north of the 7th Day
Buskers acoustic roots music.
It’s a great place to meet neighbors and support the local business
association. The certiﬁed market is the largest moneymaker for the HBA,
which uses the income to improve the area for local merchants. The
organization will add covered tables and a visiting chef series this year.
With toe-tapping tunes ﬁlling the air, a stroll among the picturesque
booths is a splendid way to spend a Sunday morning or afternoon. Bring
your camera; the plentiful produce and colorful bouquets provide a
cornucopia for any shutter. As a bonus, many vendors graciously let you
sample their faire before buying. (Note: Adhere to health regulations.
Unless they are service animals, please leave your dogs at home.)
FYI: If you are driving to the market from the core of Hillcrest, take
a shortcut by using the 163-north ramp on Tenth Avenue then quickly
exiting on Washington Street (note the white dotted line with arrows on
the fold-out map). Other trafﬁc tips at HillQuest.com

servicess

was created in 1997 by the Hillcrest Business Association (HBA).

dining

Diego’s many fabulous farmers markets, this weekly community gathering

Where is Villa Montezuma located?

88

89

Has the time for Hillcrest
parking meters expired?

Q

uotes to executive director Warren Simon for his “Heard In Hillcrest”
column in the November 1992 Hillcrest Highlights newsletter.

“Hillcrest is unfairly metered. Customers pay here to park, but can
park free in La Jolla and North Park.”
— David Cohn, Corvette Diner owner
“Each meter brings in an average of $730 for a $3 million total.”
— Tom Williams, City Trafﬁc Engineer
“We’re not against enforcement, but we need fairness more than
anything else.”
— Carol Arko, bar owner
“If I had Hillcrest’s meter enforcement franchise, I’d be a rich man.”
— Tom Stoup, Blue Door Bookstore owner
The city says that Hillcrest can have the meters removed if we don’t want
them. Should the community take the same steps as North Park in 1963?
(See page 76.)

90

½ÃÊLiÊ Õ«iÀÊEÊ `ÞÊ,i«>À
Minor Auto Body Repairs

ºiÊÀÊLÕÃiÃÃ]Ê
ÜiÊViÊÌÊÞÕt»

ÈÈxäÈä{Ê

­È£®Ê

iLiÀÊ

Ài`ÌÊV>À`ÃÊ>VVi«Ìi`

What liquor store was located on University west of Fifth in 1950?

*iÀÃ>âi`Ê*iÌÊ
>Ài
Serving Our Community with Experience,
Compassion & Integrity for over 20 years

f anyone had told me a year ago that I’d become an inveterate
and steadfast bus rider, I would have responded with a New York

“Fuhgedaboudit.” Although I still have welts from decades of NYC subway

community

91

People you might not ordinarily meet socially assemble here. Those
grumbling malcontents who need to “share” sometimes incite communal
discussions that offer insight into the proletarian temper. Such as “This
city is 50% faggots and 50% lesbians.” (This will interest census takers
next year.) Sure I’ve encountered grumpy, monosyllabic drivers, but most
are upbeat, offering a lesson in how to defeat doldrums and desuetude.
They take care to secure wheelchairs of the disabled who are often
examples of terriﬁc gumption, too.
Public transport can, in fact, bring out the best in human spirit, acts
of kindness; some people still give up seats to those more in need. A
young woman asks an older woman sitting in front of her the meaning
of a word in her textbook. Soon they are exploring one another’s very
different lives. The assembled “en masse” warn a readily compliant
driver of someone running to catch a bus. But ultimately passengers of
any age can feel a little smug about being good citizens as the honored
guests of public transport.
About the Author: Reuel Olin is one of the cute boyz on page 37.

Even the negatives of public transport show glimmers of light.
Such as those famously noisy cell phone conversationalists offering
inadvertent glimpses into private lives and priorities, from the inane
(“I’m passing the deli now, dear”) to the fraught (“I’m leaving you for
someone better”).

shopping

However, I’ve traded
a membership in this
gas-guzzling society
for my monthly senior
MTA pass (one of the
many perks of being
a “Super Adult” as the
Brits charitably call
us). By plunking down
$18, I get chauffeured
aboard buses, trolleys
and trains practically
countywide, but primarily I ride the #3 and #11 lines for pain-free
transportation to/from Hillcrest or my downtown gym. It’s also a great
way to avoid ﬁghting for pricy parking.